Drug Ads

I believe it's Canadian law that drug commercials can say either what's being treated or the name of the drug but not both.  So while watching an American stream of a Blue Jays game ( @ Phillies) on ESPN, I see an ad that would be illegal in Canada.  It mentions the disease/condition and urges the viewer to "ask your doctor" about specific drug X.

Indeed, patients will often insist on the new expensive drug they saw on TV while older cheaper drugs exist.  I understand now why such a law exists in Canada.  If more patients knew about expensive drug X for condition Y, and with the way the system works in Canada, cost of treatment goes up and taxpayers ultimately will bear the brunt of the increases as demand for cheaper and just as effective drugs decreases.  By limiting the effectiveness of marketing, spending on marketing goes down and drugs are cheaper for all of us.  Good thinking Canada.

America right now is looking into the influence drug ads.  But as I watch this stream, EVERY commercial break has a specific drug for heart disease, erectile dysfunction, restless leg syndrome, and et cetera and a laundry list of side-effects are read out over images of happy people.  Sigh.  One area Obama can look at in healthcare reform I guess.